Topic: Making Gaskets ?

[RDRF3]

    Can you use regular gasket material to make a valve cover gasket ? anyone tried this ?
                                        Raymond

[bryanj]

More trouble than its worth and 7 from 10 itl leak

[Quail "Owner of the comfortable k8"]

Ok I will give ya'll some little secrets I learaned.

 #1 A gasket is only as good and the gasket material and you can buy good gasket material.
 #2 Home made gaskets fail because we A. Tap them out with a ball peen hammer.  B. Do not take the care to make them perfect.
 #3 Do not store Gasket material like it is senstive material.
 
I have been wrenching for a living for 31 years.  I have made good and bad gaskets.  This is how I have made better than OEM gaskets.

I buy top quality material.  I seal it in air tight bags.  I use the right gasket materal for the job. To thick or thin will leak.

But My #1 trick is I use my scanner to scan the gasket and I lightly print it on the gasket material.  Cut it perfect being careful to make sure my hands are clean even when cutting.  Never bend the material and use hole punches for the holes. I COPPERKOTE
all paper gaskets that will touch oil, and I let it dry just like the instructions on the can, (never use to much).

Thats my input but I can't afford to buy 20-30 dollar honda gaskets eather.  If you can don't waste your time.

[Steve F]

  7:10 odds, and I didn't bet!  I made a couple valve cover gaskets and they're BETTER than the leaky P.O.S. I got with a gasket set. I start with the right material as previous post recommends. I flatten the material as flat as possible, place the valve cover on the material. Using a ball point pen, trace around the outside of the valve cover and cut with scissors. Next I lay the cutout over the valve cover mating surface, and locate the dowel pin holes by pressing with my finger to make an impresision of the hole to be made.  Doing only one at a time, I'll punch ONE dowel pin hole. Next, using the actual dowel pin, locate the gasket over the valve cover, and repeat for the other dowel pin.  Now you have the exact location for the gasket using the two dowel pins.  Now, with the gasket blank over the valve cover, you use your finger and press around the gasket material where the bolt holes are at, leaving an impression of the bolt holes.  Now punch out the bolt holes.  Next, with the gasket blank over the valve cover, you press all around the gasket material where the inside contour is, leaving an impression on the material.  Using an exacto knife, I cut out the inside pattern.  That leaves you with a custom fit, and looks perfect, with no excesst gasket sticking out.  Just be sure you get material that's recommended for oil exposure.

[RDRF3]

  Thanks All !!  I've made gaskets or Disc to rebuild my petcock, out of Viton. it worked great.
  Your right , the right material, makes all the difference.
           Raymond in Texas